Pop Off: Steps vs S Club 7 - Part 4

[00:00:00] CCTV vs Can't Stop the Pop. It is the final part of the epic pop off between two of the UK's best co-ed groups, S Club Collective and Steps.

[00:00:15] We've been battling it out chronologically, single vs single, and we are now at our last five battles.

[00:00:22] And we of course are joined by and battling it out with Maddie and Craig of Can't Stop the Pop.

[00:00:28] Hello! Hello!

[00:00:32] Oh, this has been so much fun. Like, this has been great.

[00:00:37] I think we were quite nervous because we've done interviews with people before but we've never done like a real collab in this way and to do multiple episodes.

[00:00:50] So like, thank you guys, it's been awesome. Like, we've loved it.

[00:00:53] I think this has been, this has been like Girls Aloud vs Sugar Babes levels of pretty good.

[00:01:00] Which we should maybe do.

[00:01:02] Yes, we've been talking about it. We should, it'd be fun.

[00:01:05] It'd be crazy if we had like a big ultimate battle of like different pop-pop podcasts. It'd be crazy.

[00:01:12] Oh, love that. Love that idea.

[00:01:14] Okay, so if you haven't heard the first three parts, head over to Can't Stop the Pop or parts one and three.

[00:01:20] And we have part two right here on the CCTV channel. The CCTV network, if you will.

[00:01:25] So, let's get started. Let's finish this off. Starting with round 16.

[00:01:32] Yeah, so round 16. So we're deep into the S Club juniors by now.

[00:01:38] And we're still third album with Steps. So we've got Here and Now vs New Direction.

[00:01:47] Three people voted for Here and Now. One person likes a New Direction.

[00:01:54] And it was me!

[00:01:56] Was it?

[00:01:57] Yeah! Believe it or not.

[00:01:59] I did.

[00:02:00] Was it you?

[00:02:01] I vote for New Direction. Is this wrong? Is this the stats wrong?

[00:02:05] No, no, sorry. It's the other way round. Sorry. Three people voted, three people like a New Direction.

[00:02:11] One person liked Here and Now. My God, that was all a disaster.

[00:02:17] Okay, so I voted for Here and Now, but this was really tough for me.

[00:02:21] This was tough for me as well.

[00:02:23] I also could easily be convinced, to be honest.

[00:02:27] Because I think with Here and Now, I think as a song, it actually is a bit faceless for Steps.

[00:02:32] But I think it's a good song, and I like what they did with it. But it is kind of a very kind of standard Swedish pop sound.

[00:02:41] But I think for Steps, I like kind of the more kind of rock-ish sensibility that's in there.

[00:02:48] It's a little darker for them. There's like, I don't know, there's just some sort of drama to it that I think is new for Steps.

[00:02:56] And I love the vocal distribution and just kind of all the vocal execution of it all.

[00:03:01] And so I really like Here and Now. New Direction is a very cool song.

[00:03:06] Like, I love the breathy, ahhhhh. Like, I think that's a really cool moment.

[00:03:11] I think I was just turned off by the visuals, honestly.

[00:03:15] Because I do not understand. Someone please explain.

[00:03:18] It was a different time, guys. Come on. We can't choose this video by 2024.

[00:03:26] Yes, it's very Arabian in its influence with a lot of British kids.

[00:03:35] With the Agrabahdians. Okay.

[00:03:38] I don't know. The thing is, is that, so this is a time I have not picked the Steps song.

[00:03:46] And this was hard. This was like, you know, picking, you know, telling your child that no, you've gone with the other person.

[00:03:54] But I actually, I love Here and Now. The single version in particular is great.

[00:03:59] I think this is always great when they do it live. As you've said, it's just a very good song.

[00:04:07] And it's a really good song in their discography. And I like that it's been given a lot of love.

[00:04:11] And it's now the title of the new musical, which is coming out in November.

[00:04:16] But the thing is with New Direction, for me, this is the best, one of the best points of the S-Cub Juniors canon.

[00:04:23] It's a really bizarre pop song. Let's not beat around the bush.

[00:04:28] It's literally them trying to say, let's do Can't Get You Out Of My Head for kids.

[00:04:35] If you mash these two songs up together, which I'm pretty sure I tried to do with a cassette tape.

[00:04:41] I tried to like multi-track it because I was convinced they were the same song.

[00:04:47] It's great. The song is really good. And I'm just going to give a like a little shout out to my, my friend James would probably be mortified that I'm saying that he loves S-Cub Juniors.

[00:04:57] But we really bonded over our love of this song.

[00:05:01] And still knowing the dance routine or like what it was like, which is obviously so inappropriate.

[00:05:09] The Agrabah? My mind's over Agrabah. Yeah, the whole Agrabah. It's like we're in Aladdin.

[00:05:13] But yeah, it's New Direction all the way.

[00:05:16] Yeah, I agree.

[00:05:18] I mean, I have to say with the visuals, that bit is, yeah, okay.

[00:05:23] The bit that gets me with the visuals is then they go on the magic carpet and they're flying over a friggin' car park.

[00:05:29] It's not even like, it's not, it's not even like it's, it's good green screen footage.

[00:05:34] It's just like, it's like someone took a drone shot over the studio car park and just put it behind them.

[00:05:39] It's so funny.

[00:05:41] But, um, I think New Direction is probably the point where people went, ah, all the efforts going into this act now, not S-Club.

[00:05:51] Because this is, unlike the two previous singles, this is a song that S-Club probably could and should have had.

[00:06:01] But it went to the juniors instead.

[00:06:02] And that's the point you go, ah, that's, they're really pushing this now.

[00:06:06] It's great. It's a great song.

[00:06:08] I, I'm sorry, we've done an episode on Here and Now. I can't remember whether I liked it or not.

[00:06:12] I think I'm a, I'm always a bit iffy about Here and Now.

[00:06:15] But yeah, I love, I love New Direction.

[00:06:18] I think you said you liked the song, but you had problems with the video. As I said, I loved the video.

[00:06:23] Don't like Dullia. Don't.

[00:06:24] Because you said that it was, they were past, they looked bored, which I disagree.

[00:06:29] They do not bored. They do not bored.

[00:06:29] I think it's a slick video.

[00:06:31] Um, but yeah, New Direction all the way. Sorry.

[00:06:35] Yeah, I, I said this, I said that for the, for Here and Now.

[00:06:40] I prefer the Max Martin Swedish pop-ness of this.

[00:06:43] Um, but I agree with Chris, the facelessness of, I was like, I don't feel steps.

[00:06:50] I don't even get a moment of like, Oh, Claire, sing your face off. Open your mouth.

[00:06:53] Ah, nothing happened.

[00:06:54] I was like, yes, girl.

[00:06:56] Let's all do that.

[00:06:57] Ah, I'm picking the Beetlejuice.

[00:07:03] Because every time she opens her mouth, it's like a siren.

[00:07:05] It's like, wow.

[00:07:06] Like, it's amazing.

[00:07:08] So I was, I was expecting something that kind of put that little step there, but it didn't happen really for me.

[00:07:14] Um, and then the video is, it's a bit of celestial floral nonsense.

[00:07:19] Um, but yeah, the, uh, wow.

[00:07:23] Celestial floral nonsense.

[00:07:25] So true.

[00:07:28] That's the social media quote.

[00:07:29] We're going to put that in like bold.

[00:07:33] I mean, if you guys have ever watched Sailor Moon, there is a promise of the Rose movie where it's like very like, you know, powerful petals and flowers fighting and little aliens.

[00:07:42] And that's what I could see this being a part of.

[00:07:45] Um, so I kind of started like, okay, cool, cool, cool.

[00:07:48] Um, but yeah, the S Club Juniors video we all talked about is super strange.

[00:07:51] Uh, the Agrabah thing.

[00:07:53] I, you know, every time I see people try to imitate like Indian influence or Southeast Asian, I say Agrabah just to kind of definitely separate the two.

[00:08:01] Um, I think for the sake of like the etherealness of the song, it makes sense.

[00:08:05] So I think they were trying to approach it like that.

[00:08:07] Um, because there's not much you can really do in terms of fitting the atmosphere of the song, right?

[00:08:13] Like I agree with Craig when you said that maybe they shouldn't have had the children singing it.

[00:08:17] I even have it in my notes.

[00:08:18] I was like being able to walk away from a bad lovers is very like 17 and up for me.

[00:08:23] Uh, so I, again, like in terms of who is singing it, the kids lose, but in terms of how it saw sounds, I think new direction has a good vibe.

[00:08:31] It does sound like Kylie.

[00:08:32] So I was like, okay, hang on.

[00:08:34] And, uh, yeah, I just think.

[00:08:36] Yeah.

[00:08:36] So I was just like, I like it.

[00:08:38] Um, and it just sounds interesting and like, it sounds a little mysterious.

[00:08:43] So I think that kind of dragged me as well for them to be so young and be able to articulate the song in a way where I wasn't like listening, like, Ooh, buddy to play that Kendrick Lamar song for myself.

[00:08:53] And I didn't feel that way.

[00:08:55] So I was like, great.

[00:08:56] Bam.

[00:08:57] New direction.

[00:08:58] New direction is one of those songs that because it is, was formed by S club juniors.

[00:09:02] And because I suppose it is therefore regarded as a kid song.

[00:09:06] It's, it's just sort of part of that area.

[00:09:08] It's one of those songs.

[00:09:09] I think I'd love if it was, it was performed by an act who still perform now to hear what they would do with that song.

[00:09:16] I mean, imagine if, if it had been done by S club and they'd done it on the last tour, they could have really beefed it up.

[00:09:21] They could have done something incredible with the production, but I mean, we're not, we're not going to get a Saturday's reunion.

[00:09:25] So we're certainly not going to get enough for Junior's reunion.

[00:09:28] Let's, let's keep thinking.

[00:09:30] I'm, I'm, I'm manifesting the Saturday's reunion.

[00:09:33] Let's, let's not, let's not, let's not.

[00:09:35] It's just a song.

[00:09:35] It's a song I wish, I wish it wasn't as lost of time as it was.

[00:09:39] Cause it's good.

[00:09:40] It's good.

[00:09:41] Yes.

[00:09:42] Okay.

[00:09:43] So, um, well, this is quite around the next round.

[00:09:47] Round 17.

[00:09:49] You'll be sorry.

[00:09:52] Versus puppy love.

[00:09:53] What do you mean?

[00:09:54] It's quite around.

[00:09:55] I'll make sure I, I'll make sure I get the results right this time.

[00:09:58] Uh, no one voted for puppy love and shame on us all.

[00:10:02] Shock.

[00:10:04] This was such a lazy, lazy cover for, to throw at them.

[00:10:09] They could have gone so much deeper into an older catalog of like a sort of 60s, 70s ballad for them to do a kiddie version of, which would have worked.

[00:10:20] Whereas this is just, uh, it is on bearable.

[00:10:26] Like it was just a way for them to give the boys a song to sing to cater for the girls demographic that might be buying.

[00:10:37] Whereas, as you say, they kind of didn't know what, what the new direction was.

[00:10:43] They didn't know what their direction of singles were at this point.

[00:10:46] Whereas you'll be sorry.

[00:10:48] I'm really glad that over time.

[00:10:50] It's been given the love that it deserved because it was so late in the steps.

[00:10:54] Yes.

[00:10:55] Discography.

[00:10:56] But over time, it's become very much people's love of this song is really grown.

[00:11:03] I love the live versions they've done.

[00:11:05] I really do.

[00:11:07] And I think that it's really stood up.

[00:11:11] The video less, less so the video is so naff because it was done as the budget version of the double A side.

[00:11:19] It was, and they, they laugh about it so much, but the song itself is so slickly produced and a real indication like Deep Shaded Blue of the style they would go on to do in the future.

[00:11:33] So yeah, so I don't, it's just, there's no question.

[00:11:36] Yeah.

[00:11:37] Yeah.

[00:11:37] You'll be sorry has grown on me so much because I remember when it was chosen as a single or when it was announced as a single.

[00:11:43] I remember there being some drama about it because it was like, oh, it's contractually obligated because they needed a Pete Waterman song in there.

[00:11:52] And then there was a fan vote, but no one really knew if the fan vote actually had any real impact or whatever.

[00:11:58] So anyway, I just didn't think much of the song back then.

[00:12:00] But like you just said, live, the recent versions have really gone off.

[00:12:06] I think this is one of H's kind of best vocal moments.

[00:12:09] Like it sits really well kind of where his voice is because he, they tend to make him sing very high and it's not as comfortable for him, but this one sounds really good.

[00:12:25] Yeah.

[00:12:26] Oh, yes.

[00:12:26] Which I love as well.

[00:12:28] Yeah.

[00:12:29] And Faye does some amazing ad libs in there too.

[00:12:31] But with Puppy Love, first off, I don't think I'd ever actually heard the original.

[00:12:36] So I did go back and listen to Paul Anka's version, which was actually very good.

[00:12:42] Like he has such an amazing like emotion attached to it.

[00:12:46] But this version, just there's no emotion to it.

[00:12:49] Calvin is just processed to hell.

[00:12:52] Like, I don't know what they did to this boy's voice.

[00:12:56] There are some, there are some harmonies in the backing vocals that were okay, but I don't know the whole, I just don't get it.

[00:13:05] Like objectively.

[00:13:05] I love that there's a bit in the video because it's obviously, they have a Christmas single, so it's obligatory cover for Christmas and they decorate the tree and Calvin hangs a bauble on the tree and Rachel Stevens appears in the bauble.

[00:13:17] Yeah.

[00:13:17] I mean, love, love that.

[00:13:20] Throughout the video, she's super in pose.

[00:13:23] Yeah, so naff.

[00:13:25] It's so good.

[00:13:25] I mean, I was really disappointed because I also bought the S Club Juniors album and of the retro inspired covers they could have picked.

[00:13:34] They did a cover of One Fine Day, which I love.

[00:13:38] I think it's great.

[00:13:39] I don't know the original, but I'm sure I'm upsetting someone when I say this.

[00:13:43] But I think as a sort of you're my number one-esque retro cover that you could, I think that works really well.

[00:13:50] Puppy Love, I, yeah, I don't really get it.

[00:13:53] You'll be sorry.

[00:13:54] I mean, if pretty much any other song had gone up against this, I probably wouldn't have voted for You'll Be Sorry.

[00:14:00] But my defense is, and Matty knows this, it's not because of the song.

[00:14:04] It's because of the version of it that was released.

[00:14:07] It, the radio edit cuts out the best bits.

[00:14:09] So you lose, like Chris, you mentioned those Faye ad-libs.

[00:14:12] You lose them in the radio edit.

[00:14:13] They cut them out to create this cold ending.

[00:14:16] And it's just a radio edit that exists for no reason.

[00:14:19] It exists because they had to try and sell these two songs that people already owned.

[00:14:24] So I always felt, I didn't like the single edit.

[00:14:28] I love the song, but I would always listen to this, I'd always listen to the full length version.

[00:14:32] I mean, you get me, when this comes on, on the gym playlist, and I get those ad-libs at the end, and I'm going for it.

[00:14:37] And I'm, I'm lip syncing along and there's people on the, people on the equipment and I'll be like, You'll be sorry, babe.

[00:14:43] Like, I will go for it.

[00:14:46] I will just go for it.

[00:14:48] I love it.

[00:14:49] Love it.

[00:14:49] Love it.

[00:14:50] Wish they hadn't cut all that stuff out.

[00:14:52] I shouldn't sing.

[00:14:53] I need to not sing.

[00:14:54] No, you should.

[00:14:55] I enjoyed it.

[00:14:56] Um, you have my, you have my book.

[00:14:58] You would have done great with the S Club Juniors on top of the Pops.

[00:15:02] You would have fitted in great there.

[00:15:05] No, I like the people kind of sing.

[00:15:07] I like it.

[00:15:08] Um, so yes, the Lotus spaceship has returned and inside was a fabulous song.

[00:15:14] Okay.

[00:15:15] Inside was a fabulous.

[00:15:16] Chris, when you introduced me to Steps, I remember you showed me scared of the dark.

[00:15:23] And like, when I tell you all, it was literally right before, like the night COVID was like taken seriously.

[00:15:29] I was at his house and I was like catching the last train, but I heard this song literally running for my life for the train to get back to my home.

[00:15:37] Cause it was the last train.

[00:15:38] I play scared of the dark over and over and over and over again, the drama.

[00:15:42] And now going through this competition, doing the whole challenge, I got to you'll be sorry.

[00:15:47] And I'm like, one, one, whatever the other song is at one.

[00:15:51] It is so dramatic.

[00:15:53] And like Chris said, it's super petty.

[00:15:55] Um, the court, when the chorus comes, it's so, oh my God, so full.

[00:15:58] I love how properly mixed the chorus is.

[00:16:01] I'm just like, ah, nice and satisfied at the level.

[00:16:04] I love the mix of the genres.

[00:16:06] You have like this Euro pop thing going on.

[00:16:07] You have some garage going on all these just very prevalent styles of the UK.

[00:16:12] That was like, I like this and this song and that and this song was all in one.

[00:16:14] And then they're being super petty.

[00:16:16] And then the vocals are really good.

[00:16:17] And then H, Kate was singing those verses.

[00:16:21] I was like, I'm already in.

[00:16:22] I'm in. I sold.

[00:16:23] So yeah, that's why I picked it.

[00:16:24] Like the kids bop feeling that we got from puppy love.

[00:16:27] I feel bad for them.

[00:16:28] And then when I saw the video, I saw Rachel superimposed as if this, that was so weird.

[00:16:33] I was like, get her out of here.

[00:16:34] Ah, she's in the magazine.

[00:16:36] She's in.

[00:16:37] I just get me out of here.

[00:16:38] I'm like, like the shark tank.

[00:16:39] I'm out.

[00:16:39] So I would, when I saw that, I was just like, no.

[00:16:43] So yes.

[00:16:44] Spaceship Lotus song wins.

[00:16:46] Um, just you mentioned Chris, you mentioned the fan.

[00:16:49] So here and now was probably, I think always going to be a single.

[00:16:53] I think Matty, I, when I got buzz, I listened to it.

[00:16:55] I was like here and now you can, you could tell that was, that's going to be a single.

[00:16:59] Um, so they did this poll.

[00:17:00] They wanted fans to pick the next single.

[00:17:03] I don't think they were specific.

[00:17:04] It was a double A side, but never get over you.

[00:17:08] Lisa's solo ish track one.

[00:17:11] And then they just ignored the result and, and released you'll be sorry instead.

[00:17:16] But I think we just, I think we've discussed this before, Matty.

[00:17:20] I don't know whether we did it on the podcast.

[00:17:21] The, I suppose the issue is at that point, you've got these tensions in the group, haven't you?

[00:17:24] And I don't think releasing a song where one of them is credited as a writer would have gone down particularly well.

[00:17:31] Cause then you've got one member earning royalties while the rest aren't.

[00:17:33] And I can understand, I can understand why the fans picked it, but I can also understand why they were like, Oh, can't do this.

[00:17:39] And also like, why did the fans not pick paradise lost?

[00:17:43] What were we on?

[00:17:43] What were we doing?

[00:17:45] Yes.

[00:17:45] What's up with us?

[00:17:46] It wasn't really the cult favorite that it is today at the time, but I, I think Chris, you are also onto something there in the, I think you are right in that one of the A sides contractually always had to have some sort of affiliation to stop Aikman and Walkman.

[00:18:02] And which is why they're produced.

[00:18:06] Craig, talk to me if I'm saying rubbish, but isn't that why on it's the way you make me feel too busy thinking about my baby is still technically listed as an A side.

[00:18:17] And just like on the, on chain reaction, the one for sorry, us remix is listed as an A side.

[00:18:22] There's a reason why on the spines that of the singles that had to be the case, because as you get to these run at the end of it, not all the songs were produced or written by them.

[00:18:33] And I think they had more to do with this song.

[00:18:36] I believe if anyone knows, give us a comment as we could be talking rubbish.

[00:18:40] Let's know.

[00:18:41] Correct us.

[00:18:42] More fake news from Matty there.

[00:18:44] I don't put fake news.

[00:18:46] No, I do think it's a thing.

[00:18:47] It was a thing.

[00:18:48] Yeah.

[00:18:49] Why would you put too busy thinking about my baby and also the remix of one for sorrow as an A side.

[00:18:56] And in the Guinness book of singles, they are listed as double A sides, even though they're not known in the canon as there.

[00:19:02] Whereas it's because there had to be contractually something to do with them on it.

[00:19:07] Okay.

[00:19:08] Well, we're not, we, we're not talking about the one for sorrow, US remix.

[00:19:11] I will say that deserved to be a double A side.

[00:19:13] Yeah.

[00:19:14] And there are times when I prefer it to the original.

[00:19:16] I'm just going to throw it out.

[00:19:17] Me too.

[00:19:18] So let's, let's move on to round 18 where we get to the aforementioned single.

[00:19:23] So we have got now, we've got another rebrand for S club.

[00:19:28] We've now got S club eight because S club juniors finished their run of singles.

[00:19:33] In the meantime, S club split up and it's like, what do we do now?

[00:19:37] We'll just create, turn the S club juniors into S club eight and graduate them.

[00:19:44] So now we, now we have chain reaction versus full no more.

[00:19:50] I mean, this was, I don't know about anyone else.

[00:19:52] This was a tough one for me.

[00:19:53] It was.

[00:19:54] Yes.

[00:19:55] Yeah.

[00:19:55] But chain, but no one, no one went for full no more.

[00:19:59] It's a, it's a, again, all four for chain reaction.

[00:20:02] Wow.

[00:20:04] Yeah.

[00:20:05] Unanimous.

[00:20:06] Yeah.

[00:20:06] Unanimous.

[00:20:07] I'm actually surprised by that.

[00:20:09] Yeah.

[00:20:09] I mean, this one was probably one of the toughest battles for me throughout this whole.

[00:20:11] Oh my God.

[00:20:12] Yeah.

[00:20:12] I left it blank for so long.

[00:20:14] Yeah.

[00:20:15] Me too.

[00:20:16] Yeah.

[00:20:17] No, I think honestly, against some of the other step songs, fool no more would actually win

[00:20:20] for me.

[00:20:21] I think fool no more is actually one of my favorite, if not my favorite S club eight songs.

[00:20:25] Um, I just think it's really well written just as a pop song, like structurally, there's

[00:20:30] just a lot going on.

[00:20:31] Each part has something special about it.

[00:20:33] And I love that Rochelle and Frankie are the ones singing the leads as well as a Saturday's

[00:20:37] fan, of course.

[00:20:38] Um, but chain reaction was such a moment.

[00:20:41] And the way it's produced to like, they really made it their own because obviously Diana

[00:20:46] Ross version is pretty great, but the steps one, like with the, the percussion with

[00:20:52] the harmonies with Claire's voice, like it was just, it's just such a moment.

[00:20:57] We talked about this recently on Tik Tok to fuck our social media, but we did a, what

[00:21:02] is the best steps cover version?

[00:21:05] And we both picked a song, but like from the original run of singles, I don't think

[00:21:10] there is a competition.

[00:21:11] This is the way to do a cover version.

[00:21:15] Um, I remember at the time, um, so much of my memories of steps is what my family's

[00:21:21] reaction were to them or the sort of the time.

[00:21:24] I remember my parents being like, they're going to cover Diana Ross really.

[00:21:28] But then their version came out and there was a real celebration of it.

[00:21:34] Everything about it is so slick.

[00:21:35] The vocals, the video, the way that it was promoted that even though they were at the

[00:21:42] tail end and they were about to do a grueling greatest hits tour and all that sort of thing.

[00:21:47] It was pushed and pushed.

[00:21:49] Um, it's a real shame.

[00:21:51] It didn't get to number one, to be perfectly honest, but yes, full no more.

[00:21:56] It's a great song.

[00:21:58] I guess really great.

[00:21:59] I remember recording this off.

[00:22:01] We had a, we had a, a Saturday morning television show, uh, CD UK.

[00:22:07] And it's basically like the Saturday morning version of top of the pops, but geared towards

[00:22:12] kids and teenagers.

[00:22:13] And they performed this on there and I taped it and I used to rewatch it all of the time.

[00:22:19] Um, because I just love the song, like, because it, it felt like what they were trying to do with new direction,

[00:22:27] but just probably better executed in a more mature pop sound.

[00:22:34] Ooh.

[00:22:35] Okay.

[00:22:35] Go off.

[00:22:37] Um, I, the songs are both solid.

[00:22:39] I think everyone's going to have probably have the same like take on it.

[00:22:42] Like me and Chris are very similar in that sense where it's like the sonics and the vocals solid.

[00:22:47] We both agree on that.

[00:22:48] And I think it just boils down to which one's stronger because both are good, but you have S club eight.

[00:22:55] The, the vocal sounds super sleek.

[00:22:56] The song sounds sleek.

[00:22:57] It's, it's disco.

[00:22:59] We it's fun.

[00:23:00] They're dancing, but they don't utilize for me.

[00:23:03] They don't utilize the vocals present in the group, like steps did.

[00:23:06] So that was a determining factor for me because they're both really good.

[00:23:09] But then like, who's utilizing who's in the group, you know what I'm saying?

[00:23:11] As opposed to just using a full group of people just to have background dancers.

[00:23:14] All people are singing.

[00:23:16] It's like steps.

[00:23:17] They, they're good at what they do and they're utilizing all the vocals that are present.

[00:23:22] Um, and, and then also has a lot of drama.

[00:23:24] So the drama sold me.

[00:23:25] I was like, Ooh, yes.

[00:23:26] And the hospital video just hits a little bit more than the amusement park video too.

[00:23:30] So you're doing at this point, we're dealing with tenure and then like 10 year olds.

[00:23:35] You know what I'm saying?

[00:23:36] So it's just one of those things where it's like, all jokes aside though, you're dealing

[00:23:39] with people who are, who have like this presence that people know, can they, can they maintain?

[00:23:44] That same sound, uh, the iconography of their image and you have a newer group.

[00:23:50] And it's right now that tenure is kicking butt and it sounds good.

[00:23:54] It doesn't sound like you're like grasping for straws, like trying to be relevant.

[00:23:57] So, um, at least in my opinion, but if it was a different song, I don't know.

[00:24:03] Like my decision went in a different direction maybe, but I think chain reaction is just solid.

[00:24:08] Even for a cover.

[00:24:08] I was just like, I will not be grabbed by nostalgia, but then I just heard voices and I was like,

[00:24:13] I'm back.

[00:24:14] You know, like, Oh, you know, again, she opens her mouth.

[00:24:18] I'm just like, I'm back, honey.

[00:24:20] You can see the fly trap that you're doing.

[00:24:22] Like Claire just like, ah, she's got her back.

[00:24:27] Audrey too.

[00:24:27] Audrey too.

[00:24:29] Yeah.

[00:24:30] And I, I, you know, I go with center.

[00:24:33] I mean, I love chain reaction for all the reasons you said, but I think the sentiment

[00:24:36] for me wins out because I know steps have more singles to come.

[00:24:39] Not many, but for me at the time, I felt this was steps getting their mojo back.

[00:24:45] I, I know Matt, you love the buzz album, but I think even the most optimistic steps

[00:24:51] fan would realize that at the end of the buzz campaign, it did feel like sales would drop

[00:24:56] in the chart runs were getting shorter.

[00:24:58] It did feel like stuff was just starting to become not quite as making as much impact.

[00:25:05] And they went hard on this in terms of the video, in terms of the song itself, but in

[00:25:10] terms of the promotion, I mean, they were everywhere promoting this.

[00:25:14] I remember H turning up on some sort of cooking show and teaching someone the dance routine.

[00:25:18] Like it was, they really went all out for this.

[00:25:21] And I felt it was, if they hadn't had a comeback, I think this would have been a fitting farewell

[00:25:27] for them.

[00:25:29] Um, so I, and that's the bit that wins out for me, but yes, I love everything about it.

[00:25:33] And yeah, I, I love, I love fool no more.

[00:25:36] I think it's great.

[00:25:37] I think it, I agree with what you're saying, Chantal.

[00:25:39] I think for me, it highlights the biggest flaw with S club eight is that they weren't old

[00:25:45] enough to be doing this yet, but they had to because S club were gone.

[00:25:49] Give them another couple of years maybe.

[00:25:51] And they come back when they're older teenagers and they've got a little bit more understanding

[00:25:58] of who they are.

[00:25:59] Voices have grown a bit.

[00:26:00] They've got a bit more.

[00:26:01] I think they could have done something with this, but it did feel S club eight was a bit

[00:26:05] too much too soon in terms of the material they were given.

[00:26:08] I think.

[00:26:09] And I think that this song does suffer from that.

[00:26:12] And when this got to number four, after they'd had three number two singles, this

[00:26:16] got to number four.

[00:26:17] And I think you're like, ah, well, why isn't it connecting?

[00:26:20] Why did that connect?

[00:26:21] But this isn't.

[00:26:22] And I think you've highlighted why it just, it needs someone with a little bit more

[00:26:25] experience.

[00:26:27] A little bit.

[00:26:28] I think they tried to style them as suddenly teenagers as well.

[00:26:33] There's a real difference.

[00:26:34] If you look, if you look at the performances from the first album to this is new album.

[00:26:38] I remember this aforementioned performance that I used to rewatch in my sort of former

[00:26:45] years.

[00:26:45] I was like, Oh my God, they're so much older now.

[00:26:48] And you think about it.

[00:26:48] They're actually not like they just, they're just style to suddenly look like young teenagers.

[00:26:55] Whereas seven, seven months between puppy love and this.

[00:26:58] Wow.

[00:27:00] And the name change, name change quote quote.

[00:27:03] Yeah.

[00:27:04] Bigger air quotes.

[00:27:05] Yeah.

[00:27:06] Oh, okay.

[00:27:07] But don't worry because for round 19, they'll get their moment.

[00:27:12] Because we've got words are not enough versus sundown.

[00:27:19] Nobody voted for words are not enough.

[00:27:21] It's a, it's a, yeah.

[00:27:23] Great.

[00:27:24] Take the round.

[00:27:25] I know.

[00:27:25] I know.

[00:27:26] That's a first.

[00:27:27] That's a first.

[00:27:27] That's a first.

[00:27:27] That's a first.

[00:27:27] Actually, it actually killed me because-

[00:27:29] You love that song.

[00:27:30] I love words are not enough.

[00:27:32] That is so shocked.

[00:27:33] I'm gently shocked.

[00:27:34] In fact, I'm quite surprised I didn't vote for it.

[00:27:37] But that shows how much I think Sundown is a great part.

[00:27:39] Oh.

[00:27:40] I just gotta say, words are not enough for me is the perfect steps ballad because it's

[00:27:45] everything I like from a steps ballad.

[00:27:47] It's not orchestral.

[00:27:48] It's not, it's not classy.

[00:27:52] It's just a big glossy Christmassy pop bubblegum pop ballad.

[00:27:59] And that's what I wanted from a steps ballad.

[00:28:01] It, so I love it.

[00:28:03] Mm-hmm.

[00:28:04] But Sundown is brilliant.

[00:28:07] It's Sundown is an amazing pop song.

[00:28:09] And the video I think actually sells it for me as well with the storybook visuals

[00:28:13] that the story and the pop up.

[00:28:15] And I think this is what, 2000 and 2001, 2002, 2003.

[00:28:20] Just jumping through the years.

[00:28:21] But this is early, this is early noughties and they wouldn't have a massive budget.

[00:28:25] And you've got these, the visuals look great.

[00:28:27] They look really cool as well.

[00:28:28] I think they, they do sell that older image.

[00:28:31] So yeah.

[00:28:33] Love it.

[00:28:33] Craig, we've spoken about it before and which that we've, and it was the whole words

[00:28:37] aren't enough versus, um, the when I say goodbye thing.

[00:28:41] Cause I do like the more classier ballads.

[00:28:44] Whereas I think words are not, words are not enough.

[00:28:48] Hmm.

[00:28:48] Is a poor man's heartbeat.

[00:28:51] It does.

[00:28:51] It's trying to do exactly what heartbeat does in that, have a drive and have a mid tempo

[00:28:56] beat, but still be this glossy Christmassy ballad.

[00:28:59] And you can see what they were trying to do.

[00:29:01] The record company is releasing this as a single when realistically from the gold album, I wish

[00:29:07] they'd have just gone and released baby don't dance or they'd released only in my dreams

[00:29:10] because both of them was much stronger songs.

[00:29:14] Whereas they said Christmas ballad.

[00:29:16] Let's do that.

[00:29:17] Um, and they had a ballad already, which we'll get to in the next round, which was probably

[00:29:22] going to be more controversial as well.

[00:29:23] Um, but so it's not my favorite step song, but sundown.

[00:29:29] I remember there was a massive promotional push for this.

[00:29:34] And this was the very much Simon Fuller and the record labels last attempt to go.

[00:29:41] Let's make this group massive.

[00:29:43] They were on like full no more was promoted.

[00:29:46] It was almost a bit of a soft release, whereas sundown was everywhere.

[00:29:52] It was consistently on the radio.

[00:29:54] It was on every playlist and you was almost inescapable, which it didn't do amazingly in

[00:30:03] the chart, which is kind of the point of the end really.

[00:30:08] But it's such a good song.

[00:30:10] Like, once again, a song that could have been done by S Club 7 with a more beefed up production.

[00:30:17] Um, I love it.

[00:30:18] It's one of their, in fact, I'd go so far as to say this is their best song.

[00:30:22] It's just brilliant.

[00:30:25] You know, words are not enough is for me is not, it's not, not the best.

[00:30:31] Um, you know, in terms of the way it sounds in general.

[00:30:35] Um, I, okay, here's the thing, right?

[00:30:38] My problem is not only is the song a little bit of a, uh, was a slog that the word that

[00:30:44] people use, um, but it's a little draggy, but then you have the video where the styling,

[00:30:49] I know this is going to sound so petty, but here I am petty spaghetti.

[00:30:53] Here's the sauce.

[00:30:54] So it only not one bit of sense how they're dressed for the club and it gets sucked into

[00:31:00] this mirror.

[00:31:02] And it's like, I'm not sure if you guys ever seen coldly Yoko, but the students get sucked

[00:31:06] into the, they get turned to 3d forms of themselves.

[00:31:09] That graphic was so bad.

[00:31:13] It was trash.

[00:31:15] And then you had, I think you had clear in the ponytail with the fifth element outfit and

[00:31:19] then, and then age with his sunglasses.

[00:31:20] And he's like, I'm here.

[00:31:22] Like it just didn't make sense.

[00:31:24] Whoever rendered those characters had either too much time on their hands or not enough.

[00:31:28] I don't, but it's like this weird thing.

[00:31:32] And it really reminded me of the Bardot video.

[00:31:34] Um, I should have let you go.

[00:31:35] Oh yeah.

[00:31:36] Yeah.

[00:31:36] Um, and I was like, okay, that was the, the, the era of like, Hey, computer graphics.

[00:31:41] Let's use it.

[00:31:42] So maybe at the time it was like, wow, we just killed it.

[00:31:44] But at this point I need to control all delete.

[00:31:46] I was not having it.

[00:31:48] I was over it.

[00:31:50] Yeah.

[00:31:50] Like, yeah, this is one of my more negative reviews.

[00:31:53] Um, I wasn't happy with it.

[00:31:54] Cause again, it's just the elements were not at play.

[00:31:58] The, the, the melody was just okay.

[00:32:00] Everything was just pretty mid for them.

[00:32:02] And for what I'm used to at this point.

[00:32:04] And then they, they clocked in, they clocked in for like an hour of work for that video.

[00:32:08] So I'm done with that.

[00:32:11] For sundown, even though they use green skiing, the kids were there.

[00:32:14] They clocked in for the full shift.

[00:32:16] Um, it stands out to me a little bit more.

[00:32:18] It feels like a Kylie song, which I'm fine with.

[00:32:20] I'm like, you know what?

[00:32:21] I'll take it.

[00:32:22] So like, I want to say lesser of two evils, but at this point sundown is stronger.

[00:32:28] And I enjoyed it more.

[00:32:30] And even watching them be a little bit more like, you know, Frankie with her hair flip.

[00:32:33] I was okay, girl.

[00:32:34] It wasn't too, it wasn't too much.

[00:32:36] You know what I'm saying?

[00:32:37] Like the vocals were decent.

[00:32:39] I'll take it.

[00:32:40] Like I was sitting here like, ha, this was a nice palette cleanser after that 3d.

[00:32:45] Like, you mean disaster.

[00:32:47] But, um, sucks.

[00:32:49] Not their best moment.

[00:32:50] Still love them.

[00:32:51] But that video almost took me out.

[00:32:53] What did the video was awful?

[00:32:55] Yeah.

[00:32:55] The video is probably one of, is probably their worst video because it's so cheaply done.

[00:32:59] And they, they deserved better as a final video.

[00:33:03] It wasn't cheap though.

[00:33:05] It was really expensive.

[00:33:06] It was so expensive.

[00:33:07] It was, I think it was one of their most, if not their, one of, if not their most expensive video.

[00:33:12] Yes.

[00:33:12] But that sort of tech at that time was really expensive.

[00:33:16] But yeah, you should think, look at what the Spice Girls did with Viva Forever.

[00:33:20] Yeah.

[00:33:20] That's how you do, like, I know that's stop motion.

[00:33:22] It was very different, but that's how you do a, we can't be in the video.

[00:33:26] So let's do something else.

[00:33:27] That's how you do it.

[00:33:28] Not, not with that.

[00:33:31] Yeah.

[00:33:31] And speaking of Bardot, I don't know if Maddie and Craig, you know Bardot, they won Australian pop stars back in the day.

[00:33:36] Oh yeah.

[00:33:38] They have a great album.

[00:33:39] Actually, both their albums are pretty great if you want to listen.

[00:33:42] But they also had an animated video.

[00:33:43] I think that one was much more effective and matched the song a bit.

[00:33:45] I think my question with this one is just, it doesn't match the song.

[00:33:48] It doesn't.

[00:33:48] That's what took me out.

[00:33:49] I was like, it just didn't make sense with it.

[00:33:51] I think words are not enough is fine.

[00:33:53] I think the melody and the verses and the bridge are nice.

[00:33:55] I think the chorus just doesn't really make much impact for me, but I do like the harmonies and the way they mixed everything in there.

[00:34:02] Uh, sundown.

[00:34:04] I really liked where S club eight were kind of going musically towards the end.

[00:34:09] It is sad.

[00:34:10] I think you were right, Craig.

[00:34:11] Like if they had just pushed everything a couple years later, they could have been up there with Liberty X.

[00:34:19] And, you know, like they, they could have been another kind of big coed group and doing these kind of slinky club bangers.

[00:34:25] I think it could have totally worked.

[00:34:27] I think Stacy sounds really good here.

[00:34:29] I love the built in dance break as well.

[00:34:32] So yeah, I think this was a solid song.

[00:34:34] Love it.

[00:34:35] Great song.

[00:34:36] Love it.

[00:34:36] Okay.

[00:34:37] Oh my God.

[00:34:37] I can't believe it coming to the end.

[00:34:39] I feel quite sad.

[00:34:40] Really sad.

[00:34:41] This is the last one right now?

[00:34:41] Oh shoot.

[00:34:42] We were around 20 and we've got, I know him so well versus don't tell me you're sorry.

[00:34:52] And it's a deadlock situation.

[00:34:54] Oh, yeah.

[00:34:57] Two versus two for this.

[00:34:59] So, um, I know him so well.

[00:35:03] Who picked that?

[00:35:05] Oh, 100%.

[00:35:08] 100%.

[00:35:09] This one was tough though.

[00:35:11] I went back and forth on this one too.

[00:35:12] Hmm.

[00:35:13] What's it?

[00:35:14] Oh, yeah, I actually love don't tell me you're sorry.

[00:35:17] Actually like both versions.

[00:35:19] I like the kind of slower version that is the album version and then the kind of dancey version disco you won that they ended up releasing.

[00:35:25] But I do love a musical song.

[00:35:29] And I, I think nostalgia did kind of take it for me in this case because I remember watching them perform this for the first time.

[00:35:37] I think I have the first time I saw it was the Wembley 2000 concert.

[00:35:41] Hmm.

[00:35:42] And then I later then saw like the Showtime at the stadium.

[00:35:45] But anyway, you know, they didn't sing live very often in any performances.

[00:35:50] And I remember watching this and being like, oh my gosh, these girls killed that.

[00:35:56] They always did this live.

[00:35:56] Always did this live.

[00:35:57] They killed that.

[00:35:59] They sound so good.

[00:36:00] And I think the song itself is just really pretty.

[00:36:04] Don't Tell Me You're Sorry is good, but I just have a lot more connection to I know him so well.

[00:36:09] Yeah.

[00:36:10] I think that it's really annoys me that the single version of Don't Tell Me You Sorry is currently not on streaming.

[00:36:18] Yeah.

[00:36:18] Otherwise, I can't find it.

[00:36:20] I've just, I've searched.

[00:36:22] It is an okay song released with a really low budget at a point where I say I think they spent so much money on Sundown.

[00:36:32] And when it didn't perform as well as they wanted, this was very much like, well, let's just put out another single and let the album just disappear, which is really sad.

[00:36:43] For me, if you don't already know, like, I know him so well, had been recorded.

[00:36:50] Obviously, they've been performing it for tours and tours, and it had been recorded years before for the ABBA show because obviously it's written by Benny and Bjorn.

[00:37:01] I was ABBA mania wasn't ABBA mania, even though it's not an ABBA song because it was from chess.

[00:37:06] Um, and it was on that album.

[00:37:10] Yeah.

[00:37:11] So it was, I remember it being quite an odd choice once again that it was put on there.

[00:37:18] Mm-hmm.

[00:37:18] This could be another contractual needs to be a double A side situation.

[00:37:22] Mm-hmm.

[00:37:23] But I adore their version.

[00:37:27] I think it's really well arranged because this is such a famous duet between two women in the show, and it was obviously released as a pop version in the 80s when it came out.

[00:37:39] But I feel like their version is just as good.

[00:37:42] Um, the production, yes, it's twee, it's twinkly, but I really wish that they still did this live.

[00:37:53] And they keep, they say that, I think they've, I saw a thing with, um, Claire on Instagram that she said that people ask them to do it.

[00:38:01] Um, I love it.

[00:38:03] I really love it.

[00:38:04] I think it's such a beautiful arrangement and it's sad that it gets kind of lost within the steps canon because I feel like if this had come out as a single and a cover version in the middle of their run, it would have done really well.

[00:38:17] Like, I love it.

[00:38:18] Mm-hmm.

[00:38:19] I know them so well.

[00:38:20] I've heard the Whitney and Sissy Houston version.

[00:38:23] Um, I've heard a friend of mine sing it for like a, her, she used it for her jury performance.

[00:38:27] So I'm familiar with it.

[00:38:29] It's not, it's a good song.

[00:38:30] Um, it's a good duet.

[00:38:31] It's nice to hear the vocalists, the female vocalists actually take it on and perform it.

[00:38:37] Um, I, I mean, there might be a reason aside from them just kind of being done that it didn't really do much.

[00:38:47] I don't know.

[00:38:49] Cause you know, it wasn't one of the songs you showed me, Chris.

[00:38:53] Um, I had limited time that night.

[00:38:57] I'm joking.

[00:38:58] I'm joking.

[00:38:58] I'm joking.

[00:39:00] I wanted to do a slow buildup.

[00:39:01] I'm totally joking.

[00:39:02] But, um, I think, I think just based on listening to the singles that S Club umpteenth was releasing at this point, it was just like, umpteenth.

[00:39:28] Umpteenth.

[00:39:28] It was like, I think the music.

[00:39:29] And that music was, it was like, I'm not gonna be like, but it's like, I think the music.

[00:39:30] It's like, I think the music was so nice.

[00:39:31] It was like, ooh, I like this.

[00:39:33] It reminded me a little bit of like a disco meets Pharrell trying to write for JT, um, moment.

[00:39:38] And I was like, I'm not mad at this.

[00:39:40] I like it.

[00:39:41] It was fun.

[00:39:41] I do wonder what would have happened if, again, we're talking about the age thing, but it's

[00:39:46] too like they were actually leaning a little bit more into utilizing the voices and it felt,

[00:39:51] it felt good to listen to.

[00:39:53] Um, and I just think the groove, the mix, everything about the overall sound and production drew me in a little bit more.

[00:40:02] Um, even with the, the, the slower version, it was, it was still good.

[00:40:07] So I'm like, you have two versions.

[00:40:09] Both were pretty good.

[00:40:10] That means the melody stands on its own.

[00:40:11] It holds it down.

[00:40:13] But I just feel like I'll, although the steps ladies did a stellar performance, I'm giving it to S Club umpteenth.

[00:40:19] I, I, I'm sticking on it.

[00:40:20] I'm staying on it.

[00:40:22] But I just look them at it.

[00:40:24] Yeah.

[00:40:24] I'm, I, I'm completely the same.

[00:40:26] I, I think it was very obvious at this point.

[00:40:28] I think Justin Timberlake had launched his solo career and I, I love, I adore on the, the single mix.

[00:40:34] It is like they just took the three boys and fused their voices together to create this.

[00:40:40] And it does sound, it does sound like Justin Timberlake.

[00:40:42] It's, it does sound it.

[00:40:44] And, and some of their songs around this time did start to, start to sound like that.

[00:40:49] I mean, you know, we, we, we're not doing our, I dream featuring Calvin and Frankie, but you've got again that, that sort of that attempt to make Calvin sound like Justin Timberlake.

[00:40:57] But I like it.

[00:40:58] I think it is a song that I think Justin Timberlake could have released credibly released at that point in, in his career.

[00:41:05] I think it's, it's, it's cool, whether it's cool for them, probably not, but it's a cool song.

[00:41:11] I enjoy it.

[00:41:12] I know him so well.

[00:41:13] You're right, Matty.

[00:41:14] I never really thought about the fact that this was a staple of their live shows back in the nineties and noughties.

[00:41:19] And it's not one you ever hear of now.

[00:41:23] I don't think they would ever perform it now.

[00:41:24] I can't imagine them doing it because H and Lee aren't on it.

[00:41:27] They did it on the Steps Christmas concerts that they did for the Light of the World album.

[00:41:33] Oh, okay.

[00:41:34] Because for that tour, they specifically did all of the songs which they didn't do on the Ultimate tour.

[00:41:40] Um, but I, I, I honestly, I was pushing for this to be on the What the Future Holds tour.

[00:41:48] I was like, I really thought we might get a glimpse of like a ballads medley or something like that.

[00:41:53] Because it was done on most of their tours in the nineties.

[00:41:58] Yeah, it was.

[00:41:58] It was an, I don't think as a single again, it, it, there's a bit of a, a, well, we'll just get the Abermania performance has been knocking around for two years at this point.

[00:42:06] We're not going to do anything with the song.

[00:42:07] It's already out there already.

[00:42:08] People already own it.

[00:42:10] We're downloading by this point.

[00:42:12] We've got that song.

[00:42:13] Let's shove it on the single.

[00:42:15] Um, I mean, could, could there be a worse final step single than the double A side of two ballads, regardless of what ballads they are?

[00:42:22] It's yeah.

[00:42:23] I mean, look, I said, when I said goodbye was my snooze moment.

[00:42:26] I heartbeat is my snooze moment.

[00:42:29] Um, I couldn't say that and not say I know him so well.

[00:42:31] That's my toilet break moment.

[00:42:32] Lovely, lovely performance, but not for, not for me.

[00:42:35] Sorry.

[00:42:36] Not the toilet.

[00:42:37] That's the toilet.

[00:42:38] My God, if you, if they put all the, did like a ballad medley and had heartbeat.

[00:42:43] And then when I said goodbye and words are not enough and I know him so well, I'd go to the toilet.

[00:42:47] I would be back for 20 minutes.

[00:42:48] I'd go to the toilet.

[00:42:50] I'd go to the toilet.

[00:42:52] I'd go to the toilet.

[00:42:52] You can't, you can't put heartbeat in the same category.

[00:42:56] Heartbeat is stunning.

[00:42:58] Heartbeat is an amazing song.

[00:42:59] I wouldn't put, I know I wouldn't put, um, I wouldn't put words or not enough in the same category.

[00:43:03] Cause I really liked that one.

[00:43:04] But the rest, nah.

[00:43:07] I'm gone.

[00:43:07] I'm such a basic pop bitch.

[00:43:09] So that's why I picked, don't tell me you're sorry.

[00:43:11] You're going to give me a boppy exclamation, pretending to be Justin Timberlake.

[00:43:14] I'm there every time.

[00:43:16] Come on.

[00:43:16] Yes.

[00:43:17] Yeah.

[00:43:19] Can't go to the club and dance that I know him so well.

[00:43:21] Uh, there is, there is absolutely.

[00:43:25] There is the all mighty remix or it's the Zenimania remix.

[00:43:28] I think it's all mighty.

[00:43:30] It's honestly, it's tragic.

[00:43:33] I have this, I have a steps remix playlist, which is like, I chronologically like the best

[00:43:40] remix of any of their songs.

[00:43:42] Amazing.

[00:43:43] But that is just because also the tempo of it.

[00:43:49] It's like, wasn't it good?

[00:43:51] Doom, doom.

[00:43:51] Oh, so good.

[00:43:53] Wasn't it fine?

[00:43:54] It's just so weird.

[00:43:57] But I tell you, if I came on at two in the morning, I can't tell you that I wouldn't be

[00:44:03] going mad.

[00:44:04] Crying in the club.

[00:44:06] Crying on the Metro.

[00:44:08] Go ahead.

[00:44:10] Right.

[00:44:11] Craig, where are we at?

[00:44:12] What are the stats?

[00:44:13] Oh my gosh.

[00:44:14] Final results.

[00:44:14] The final result is, uh, it's win for steps.

[00:44:19] They have 10, they won 10 rounds versus S Club United's five rounds.

[00:44:25] So we've got five deadlocks.

[00:44:27] So, you know.

[00:44:28] Do you want to change our minds while we're here?

[00:44:31] No.

[00:44:32] No.

[00:44:33] We'll let the fans, we'll let the fans decide.

[00:44:36] Yeah.

[00:44:37] Um, but my, my.

[00:44:39] You're a winner baby.

[00:44:40] Yay.

[00:44:41] Yes.

[00:44:42] My, the thing that when we prepared for this, I'm going to be really boring now with statistics,

[00:44:47] but I always think back in the day, we think about how long steps lasted for and how

[00:44:53] long S just S Club seven, just S Club seven and S Club lasted.

[00:44:57] I always think of, everyone says about five years for steps.

[00:45:00] And I always think that they lasted much longer.

[00:45:02] Mm-hmm.

[00:45:03] But actually the, the, the length of time between bring it all back and say goodbye and five,

[00:45:07] six, seven, eight, and words are not enough.

[00:45:09] There's only, steps are only around during that time for 35 days longer, which when you

[00:45:15] think about how much they crammed in, considering the singles we've done, how much they crammed

[00:45:20] into that time, but equally how S Club still did a lot, but they were both so big, but they

[00:45:27] use that time in such different ways, which is, that shows why we were right to, why we were

[00:45:34] right to pit them against each other.

[00:45:35] Cause they were actually, they had really similar length trajectories to just completely different

[00:45:40] though.

[00:45:40] The thing is, is that what we've done is we focused on the music.

[00:45:43] Whereas you've, what you've got to also take into account is both of them were just so prolific

[00:45:48] on television, like S Club were essentially actors that were also in a pop band.

[00:45:55] Like they were put together as TV performers and they had so many seasons of their show

[00:46:01] that they were also releasing and putting out.

[00:46:04] But at the same time, Steps had like two seasons of a talent show that they did.

[00:46:10] They were on presenting gigs on Steps to the Stars, all of these shows.

[00:46:14] Steps to the Stars, iconic.

[00:46:16] Iconic show.

[00:46:18] And both groups put out so much material.

[00:46:23] But if you're just, if you are just looking at the music, it is quite staggering how many

[00:46:28] single Steps put out because of that clever way of doing the double A sides and just like

[00:46:33] constant releases.

[00:46:35] But yeah, like hats off to the two, the two iconic units of Steps and S Club Unitas.

[00:46:41] Yeah.

[00:46:42] There's, they've been like the catalog between them is incredible apart from Puppy Love, but

[00:46:48] that incredible catalog really of, of songs.

[00:46:51] I mean, if I put all these songs that we've, we've put head to head together in a playlist,

[00:46:56] there'll be very few, despite everything I said, there'd be very few skits on that playlist.

[00:47:00] And that's incredible for a time in pop music when acts didn't necessarily release solid

[00:47:07] albums.

[00:47:08] You had a couple of singles and loads of filler between them.

[00:47:11] The fact that they could both churn out this many decent songs, credit to them.

[00:47:16] For sure.

[00:47:17] I'm so proud.

[00:47:17] It's an interesting time to get the perspective between like, uh, an American, like me,

[00:47:23] historically only knowing S Club from the beginning and then being introduced via Chris

[00:47:27] via his upbringing has been interesting too.

[00:47:30] Cause, uh, S Club 7, a lot of people that I know when I'm listening to the songs or singing

[00:47:35] the songs, I'll talk about S Club or Steps.

[00:47:37] They're like, who the heck is Steps?

[00:47:38] And I'm like, you don't know.

[00:47:40] And I'm like, wait, they wouldn't know.

[00:47:42] They would not know.

[00:47:43] Yeah.

[00:47:44] Cause of the way they were marketed and like just, just timing and things like that.

[00:47:47] So it's just so interesting how me being like, oh, S Club, S Club, S Club, S Club.

[00:47:53] And then listening to Steps, I'm like, oh my God, I like this Steps song too.

[00:47:55] So it's been, it's been fun in that aspect for sure.

[00:47:58] Um, and it also tested how much nostalgia affects my decisions.

[00:48:02] Cause then you'll have a song and you're like, it's really good, but I just feel, girl,

[00:48:07] is the song good?

[00:48:08] I feel like it's delicious.

[00:48:10] It's amazing.

[00:48:10] So, you know, you're battling with that.

[00:48:13] Yes.

[00:48:13] And that's what also made this really fun.

[00:48:15] Cause I think when we have our, uh, our CCTV crew commenting, they're probably going to

[00:48:20] be like, I think they get a lot more Europeans than we do.

[00:48:22] Like, you know, Americans, but I'm curious to know what they say, because I met a Scott

[00:48:27] just this weekend and he was like, oh my gosh, S Club seven.

[00:48:31] I hope you pick them for each round.

[00:48:32] I was like, what?

[00:48:33] He goes, I know.

[00:48:34] He was like, Steps is just, oh, so cheesy.

[00:48:36] And I'm like, what they have something in the songs and this.

[00:48:38] And he's like, no.

[00:48:39] So it depends on what music you like, where you grew up, how you grew up, what you got

[00:48:45] introduced to.

[00:48:46] Craig couldn't stand tragedy for like, however long.

[00:48:49] And then.

[00:48:50] And now I love it again.

[00:48:52] Now he's loving it again.

[00:48:52] You know, so it's like, even now, like looking back on our, like, or thinking about our previous

[00:48:57] rounds, I was like, oh no, did I make the right choice?

[00:49:00] Like the dissonance was real.

[00:49:01] I was like, oh my God.

[00:49:02] Obviously it's all just for fun.

[00:49:04] Um, but I had myself, I was sitting here like, damn, did I, did I make the right choice?

[00:49:09] Did I prefer rocking?

[00:49:11] It's like having a male lead.

[00:49:13] And then the second leading you like watching the TV show, you're like, girl, pick him, pick him.

[00:49:17] He's been there.

[00:49:18] That's what it felt like.

[00:49:19] Like I feel like that I make the right choice.

[00:49:20] Are the viewers happy with what I did?

[00:49:22] You know?

[00:49:23] So, and if that is fine, definitely drop a comment.

[00:49:26] Tell me why you don't agree.

[00:49:28] Yeah.

[00:49:29] Let us know what one for you.

[00:49:31] Yeah.

[00:49:31] I've had so much fun.

[00:49:32] It's also been interesting for me because obviously I was a fan of steps and, and S club

[00:49:36] and not as much, but I was very much on the periphery.

[00:49:39] Cause all I knew was.

[00:49:41] What I could see from like top of the pops magazines that I could buy, you know, and we would get

[00:49:45] top of the pops like a few weeks late, but I didn't really have any context of how well,

[00:49:49] things were going and what the public perception was.

[00:49:51] So it's been awesome.

[00:49:52] Just learning that from both of you.

[00:49:54] Mm hmm.

[00:49:55] And it's been fun as well.

[00:49:57] Introducing a lot of my friends here to a lot of the British pop music that just never

[00:50:02] even, even tried to make it in the U S at all.

[00:50:05] I mean, steps kind of tried, but barely, you know, barely.

[00:50:10] And so, so yeah, this was awesome.

[00:50:12] I'm so glad we got to do this with you.

[00:50:15] It's really interesting.

[00:50:17] Chantel that you just said that a Scott said to you, Oh, I told you steps that way too

[00:50:21] cheesy.

[00:50:22] And I think we mentioned this in the very first episode of this little series that the public,

[00:50:28] if you're just a casual fan that isn't in depth to stuff, the public's perception of what

[00:50:36] steps in S club seven were.

[00:50:39] I'm going to say again, we've just put it out there because S club seven had don't

[00:50:46] stop moving as their, this is a credible pop song that is the mass audience.

[00:50:52] Yeah.

[00:50:53] People's perception of what they were.

[00:50:56] That's what they think they go.

[00:50:57] Oh yeah.

[00:50:58] They used to be cool.

[00:50:59] Whereas because steps is biggest song in the UK was tragedy, which has become like the

[00:51:04] overplayed wedding song.

[00:51:06] The general public's idea of them is skewed in a very certain way.

[00:51:11] Um, whereas, you know, time deals with different pop songs differently and it's really great to

[00:51:18] sort of actually delve back into it.

[00:51:20] And, you know, we haven't touched on any of steps is more recent material, which I love.

[00:51:25] I love just as much, if not more than their original run.

[00:51:28] I think they are one of the best ever examples of a nineties group coming back.

[00:51:34] Yes.

[00:51:34] With real revenants, what they've done, but also just like, we're doing this for us,

[00:51:38] for the fans so we can tour.

[00:51:40] Um, I think it's up there with like, take that in terms of creating new material that

[00:51:46] also complements the original, whereas you look at the original runs of these and we,

[00:51:52] I don't know about you, Craig, but I feel like we can't talk about these songs without talking about

[00:51:58] the UK's perception of what they were as a group at the time, because they were, they were seen publicly very differently.

[00:52:06] Yeah.

[00:52:07] I would say S club's recent comeback made much impact on the general public.

[00:52:11] Obviously it was overshadowed by other stuff, but steps are obviously more ever more present now.

[00:52:17] And people know, I think those people know they're still around, but I still think they, they still think people would,

[00:52:23] would label S club, the cooler, the cooler act.

[00:52:28] But I suppose steps have never, steps went through that brief phase, as we discussed with like,

[00:52:33] where they were trying to be a little bit cooler, like here and now, and you'll be so,

[00:52:36] the styling became a little bit slicker and cooler, but they've never tried.

[00:52:41] Steps have never tried to, to, to reposition themselves as cool.

[00:52:45] They've just owned what they were.

[00:52:46] Yeah.

[00:52:46] So that's, yeah, it's been amazing.

[00:52:49] I've, I've, I've loved it.

[00:52:50] I feel nostalgic.

[00:52:51] I feel happy.

[00:52:52] I feel sad.

[00:52:53] Uh, it's amazing.

[00:52:56] Sad.

[00:52:58] I, sorry.

[00:52:59] I just, I suppose the thing with, with thinking about these acts now, I don't know whether you've

[00:53:03] talked about it with, with S club.

[00:53:04] And the thing that me and Matty have said about S club is steps have been freed from somewhat

[00:53:08] from the shackles of what they were.

[00:53:10] They've been allowed to be more creative.

[00:53:12] And the one thing I wish for S club is that they can be free of whatever shackles Simon

[00:53:17] Fuller still has them in because I would love for them to do a joke.

[00:53:21] Holds.

[00:53:22] It's still a joke.

[00:53:23] I'm genuinely interested to see, right.

[00:53:26] What would, what would S club do if they wouldn't had no affiliation with Simon fuller,

[00:53:30] plop them in a studio and let them do something.

[00:53:33] I'm still really interested to know what they would do, but I just feel like they've never

[00:53:36] had that, that freedom even now, even now 20 or 20 plus years later.

[00:53:42] They're not allowed to talk about anything.

[00:53:45] They're not allowed to, they still don't talk about anything money wise contractually

[00:53:50] with like Paul passing away and then, you know, Hannah not coming back to the group.

[00:53:55] It's honestly a bit uncomfortable watching any interviews they did with this comeback

[00:53:59] because they just dismissed the questions like, well, we won't talk about that.

[00:54:04] We'll do this.

[00:54:05] Whereas about 10 years ago now, could be wrong.

[00:54:09] Could be 11 steps today.

[00:54:11] Come back documentary.

[00:54:13] Yeah.

[00:54:14] Iconic.

[00:54:15] It's just so brilliant.

[00:54:17] And they literally drag them through the mud of like, you are going to talk about all

[00:54:22] of this stuff.

[00:54:23] And I just would, I would love to see S club go through something similar because you

[00:54:29] just know that they went through some stuff back in the day.

[00:54:32] They worked so hard and they have been through stuff.

[00:54:36] Whereas what they've done is they've had someone actually pass away and then still go on tour.

[00:54:43] And I know have it as like, you know, a reverence to him, but you can't help feel that that must

[00:54:49] be really hard.

[00:54:51] It's a hard thing to go through in this pop nostalgia way.

[00:54:55] And yeah, they were very, they've become very different acts in the way that they are seen

[00:55:02] and they perform.

[00:55:03] I think.

[00:55:03] The legacies are definitely different at this point.

[00:55:06] Yeah.

[00:55:06] I'm very curious to see how the steps musical does.

[00:55:10] Like, I, cause I think that's what it is.

[00:55:12] Like, I think because they still have this air of them where a lot of the general public

[00:55:16] just doesn't even give them the time of day sometimes.

[00:55:18] Mm-hmm .

[00:55:19] I don't know.

[00:55:20] I wonder, I just wonder what the interest actually is there.

[00:55:23] But having been to both comeback tours in recent years, it's kind of insane how, how much better

[00:55:31] steps have become as performers.

[00:55:32] And then S Club, like that show was not very slick, like at all.

[00:55:39] Like it just, it just didn't feel like they were fully in it.

[00:55:44] Like even whoever put it together, it just didn't feel great.

[00:55:49] Mm-hmm .

[00:55:49] So yeah, it'll be interesting to see like what happens in the next few years.

[00:55:52] Like our S Club, what are S Club gonna do like moving forward?

[00:55:55] If anything.

[00:55:56] If anything.

[00:55:57] Yeah.

[00:55:58] I think the musical will do pretty well, to be honest.

[00:56:02] We were lucky enough to interview the writer.

[00:56:04] Little clang for an episode that we've done.

[00:56:06] Yes.

[00:56:06] Come on now, come on now.

[00:56:08] I know that, I know that the run that they've got at the moment, they're being very, as someone

[00:56:12] who does musical theatre, they're being extremely clever because they're holding their cards

[00:56:16] very close to the chest of, they've not gone, we're gonna do a tour and we're gonna go

[00:56:21] to the West End and we're gonna do these things.

[00:56:22] They're taking it one step at a time.

[00:56:24] I know people who have done stuff with the show and I've heard nothing but good things.

[00:56:33] And I know that the run that they've got for this original one has almost sold out.

[00:56:38] Oh, amazing.

[00:56:39] So, I think it'll do pretty well.

[00:56:43] And I think if they nail the comedy of it, then I think it would do very well on a UK tour.

[00:56:50] I think you could sell it to the right theatres.

[00:56:53] I've seen shows sell very well with far smaller niche fan bases than this.

[00:57:01] Right.

[00:57:01] If that makes sense.

[00:57:03] Yeah.

[00:57:03] Ballad.

[00:57:04] Fair.

[00:57:05] Well, I'm very excited.

[00:57:06] I will be going a week before you, you are.

[00:57:08] Are you going to the opening night?

[00:57:09] Yeah.

[00:57:10] No, I'm going on a kind of just a random Tuesday because I'm just in the UK for that one week.

[00:57:14] And we're going to go see the cores because my family loves the cores.

[00:57:18] Oh.

[00:57:18] And we're going to go to their Birmingham date.

[00:57:20] I'm literally just making them go to the Birmingham date so that I'm in that city to see Steps Musical before it.

[00:57:24] Yes.

[00:57:25] He has an agenda.

[00:57:26] No.

[00:57:26] I was going to go in London, I think, because I love the cores as well.

[00:57:31] I play the violin because I loved the cores when I grew up.

[00:57:34] I started playing the drums because of Caroline.

[00:57:36] Yeah.

[00:57:37] Wow.

[00:57:38] Pop crossover podcast.

[00:57:39] Here we go.

[00:57:40] Cores, Bewitched, Pop-Off.

[00:57:42] Oh.

[00:57:44] Bewitched.

[00:57:47] I was like, quick, Irish act, Irish act.

[00:57:49] The brain was braining.

[00:57:51] I was like, wow, that was quick.

[00:57:52] That was really quick.

[00:57:53] Let's go, data.

[00:57:55] All right.

[00:57:55] So, fans, CCTV crew, listen, listen, this was a tough battle, y'all.

[00:58:01] Y'all have seen all four episodes now, okay?

[00:58:05] What are your thoughts?

[00:58:06] Okay.

[00:58:07] Let us know in the comments below.

[00:58:08] Thank you so much to Maddie and Craig for joining us.

[00:58:11] Please plug yourself one more time for our listeners because at the finest point, y'all don't know who they are.

[00:58:16] You're about to find out.

[00:58:17] Let us know who you are.

[00:58:21] Okay.

[00:58:21] Right.

[00:58:22] Back to the script.

[00:58:23] Back to the script.

[00:58:24] Okay.

[00:58:26] I am at can't stop pop on X and can't stop underscore the pop on Instagram and TikTok.

[00:58:32] Please follow me on TikTok because that's going really well.

[00:58:35] And I've got loads of videos about Sabrina the Teenage Witch and stuff.

[00:58:37] You'll love it.

[00:58:38] Can't stop the pop is available through all major podcast platforms.

[00:58:41] And you can also check out our YouTube channel at can't stop the pop.

[00:58:45] And I am Matt underscore Atkins nine on Instagram.

[00:58:52] Matt Kins actor on X and on TikTok.

[00:58:55] I'm in charge of the podcast TikTok because we have two.

[00:58:58] So you can follow both of them and we do completely different content on both.

[00:59:02] One is about website and one is about the podcast.

[00:59:05] And I am can't stop the pop podcast on TikTok.

[00:59:08] Do follow both of our accounts because they are linked.

[00:59:12] Yeah.

[00:59:14] All right.

[00:59:15] So y'all heard it here.

[00:59:16] We are, of course, available on all platforms.

[00:59:19] You know, CCTV pops and us.pop show.

[00:59:21] Hello.

[00:59:22] And make sure to comment and DM us at CCTV pops on all social media.

[00:59:26] And be sure to tell us your thoughts on all of these pop offs.

[00:59:29] You guys know we do the K-pop pop offs.

[00:59:31] And this is like the ultimate battle.

[00:59:34] Okay.

[00:59:34] So definitely know.

[00:59:36] Let us know your thoughts.

[00:59:36] Okay.

[00:59:37] And don't forget you can join us on Patreon.

[00:59:38] We have a free tier and do some exclusive reactions and topics chosen by you.

[00:59:44] Until next time.

[00:59:46] That's Chris.

[00:59:46] That's Chantel, Maddie and Craig.

[00:59:48] And we're signing off from CCTV, the nonstop pop show.